Nothing's Going to Ruin This Night... Right? (Conners, Open to Logical Entry)

7:30PM

A long crimson dress wrapped around her tall and lean form. The fabric hugged the curves of her torso, but flowing out to gently touch the floor. A long slit rose up the right side of her leg, so attention could be drawned to the toned and smooth appendage. Black heels with thin straps completed the ensemble, as well as a plain black choker. Bree was completely out of her element, given that she was wearing a dress and attending a ball at Bastion of all places. She had her reasons, since being here was more for work than leisure. The werecheetah's phantom fur bristled slightly, but she managed to keep the cage locked on her inner beast.

Humans had a distinct prey scent to them, regardless of their background to fend for others and themselves. Once a predator, always a predator - but at least she was on the... side that seemed to cater to the justice system of Librium, so here she was with a purpose at the annual ball Bastion would throw. Arctic eyes swept past the crowd of familiar and unfamiliar faces. Other Terran Guards were present, but well concealed within the fanciful mass of dresses, suits and evening cocktails.

With her hair down, Bree looked like her usual self, except for the dress. She wore no make-up, since her skin was already smooth and unblemished on its own. Full lips were set in a straight line, but she tried to smile at passing guests, curiously noting the long-haired woman in red. Her hair had that tousled look, falling in long loose waves past her shoulders. Parted to the side, her wavy strands would conceal part of her face, a face that would be lovely if she pressed on a genuine smile.

She nodded to the other guards that were present, before quickly snatched a tall glass of champagne from a waiter passing by. She sucked in a breath through her nose, taking in scents of other people - humans, so many of them! - and took a long sip. She was supposed to meet with "Jack Conners," but in order to do that, she'd have to find him first.

Her laughter rang around her as she spun, the music filling the hall. Neona loved to dance, and the fact that she wore a bright blue concoction of fabric made no difference to her. This was one of her guilty pleasures, dressing up and attending lavish balls and parties. Her blonde hair hand been pulled back in several places and braided down the center of her head, her golden runed elven hair decoration nestled amongst the braids. It hid a small blade, given to her by the Elven director of the Terran Guard himself. Tangled in her hair was a traditional Elven headpiece of gold and silver chains and tiny gems.

Her delicate feet were clad in golden shoes decorated with rhinestones and shimmering gems that matched the corset of her blue dress. Still she had no problem dancing one of the traditional dances with a male from the Bastion PD. Handsome, but he could not compare to a certain Shepherd she had recently met.

Once the dance was over, she elegantly bowed to her dance partner and moved herself off the floor. From a passing tray she gathered up a glass of champagne, her bright blue nails glittering in the lights of the hall, tiny suns winking along the edges. She had escorts still, it was rare she was without them, appearances had to be kept after all. No one knew her furry secret, no one knew that she wasn't as helpless as she appeared. No, Neona Tiran was supposed to be a Diplomat, and guards came with that image. Still, there was no reason she shouldn't be allowed to have a fun time. She was tall for a female, but then...she wasn't human now was she? She very much looked the part of the Elven Diplomat this evening.

Her every movement seemed as if she were about to break into dance once more, graceful, flowing. This was where she felt the most at home, where some of her best work went down. Functions like this allowed her to win the hearts and minds of some of Terra's most influential people. Her greatest battles had been won in these very formal occasions, not in the meeting halls as everyone thought they were.

Jack stood in his hotel room's bathroom, staring at himself in the mirror. Tonight was the night, The Bastion Policeman's Ball, and Captain Jack Conners was the main attraction. Well, that and his Meta-Human Crime Division. It was officially "open for business" despite him and his officers doing the same job for nearly seven months now. Letting out a sigh, Jack did one final once-over to his formal police uniform.

"Well, here goes nothing."

Walking in to the room, he slid his standard issue taser in its shoulder holster, and his "web" gun in the other. Smiling as he patted the experimental weapon, Jack thought about all the research and development that had gone in to developing the treaty friendly weaponry and tactics that got them Terran Guard approval. Even with the approval, they were still asking to have a TG advisor sit in on operations for a while, which the mayor hastily lost his backbone over. Jack had been mad about it, but he realized that accepting whatever this guy had to say would probably make his Division better...and that was the important thing.

Walking down the hall towards the elevators, Jack grabbed the bottom of his dark blue dress suit jacket, straightening it. His rank insignia adorned his lapels, a double golden bar denoting a Captain, with shoulder patches showing his department and division, the shoulder straps holding embroidered leaves denoting command. He wore a white shirt with black tie under the jacket, and his pants matched the formal jacket, save the brighter blue strip down the sides to his polished leather shoes. Conners tucked an earbud in to his right ear, and spoke through his microphone embedded in his sleeve.

Conners to all units, security check. Report.

All check points called in reporting clear with no hassles. Good. The security at the ball was top-notch. Guards, metal detectors, and numerous ball-goers were members of law enforcement. The guest list was very restrictive, and only those on the list would be allowed in to the event. The entire section of the hotel where the ball was taking place was closed to normal civilian traffic, and had been for a couple of days. Bomb-sniffing dogs had taken three separate sweeps of the room, and one sat quietly by the entrance. A total of fifteen uniformed officers and five plain-clothes officers adorned the room. They were both an homage to what the ball was supporting and a security measure.

Jack walked in to the event and was immediately taken in by the beauty that was the ballroom. The Bastion Metropolitan Hotel had been very gracious to host the ball every year, and they never did disappoint. The vaulted ceilings were painted in various elaborate patterns, and lit chandeliers bathed the room in bright yellow and white light. Jack's shoes clacked on the marble tiles of the floor as he infiltrated the slew of people in the room. Dresses of all hues on the rainbow adorned the women of power and privilege as they conversed with men in varying shades of black and dark blue. A great quantity of men wore formal dress blues of Bastion PD, and some had been dancing in the middle of the room to the melodic sounds of a string quartet.

Conners was on a mission, and that mission was the podium near the back of the room itself. He was the man of honor tonight. That meant he was the one to open the festivities, and the one to deal with the bureaucrats and politicians. He'd rather be in a fistfight with a Dwarven woman! Climbing the steps to the podium without much ado, he stood there and tone noted to the people in the ballroom that festivities were to begin. The entire hall turned to regard him, and he gave them a large smile.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dignitaries and Law Enforcement personnel. My name is Captain Jack Conners, and I am in charge of Bastion Police Department's newest Division: Meta-Human Crime. There was applause, which he gracious paused for before proceeding. Thank you very much. But, the truth is, there are a lot of people here who we couldn't be here without. Namely the support of our mayor, the police commission, and the Terran Guard, specifically Neona Tiran. Ms. Tiran has helped me mold this organization in to one that strives to understand those other than ourselves for the betterment of our entire community, and I am eternally grateful for her help. The crowd roared applause once again, including some whistling, hoots, and hollers. Letting the commotion die down, Jack concluded.

Without any further ado, welcome to the Seventh Annual Bastion Policeman's Ball. Have a great night and enjoy!

Moving away from the microphone and walking slowly down the stairs, Jack took a deep breath. That was over with, which meant the schmoozing had begun. hopefully, the rest of the evening would go off without a hitch.

"Miss Grace? Your cue, it's about to start."

Kimber looked up. She had no idea, why she was here. But, she supposed. It was for the people of the city. They had contacted her. Those that had planned this whole affair, and here she was. To provide decent music tonight. Because it was the police force, she decided to give a discount. Her price not nearly what it normally was. They deserved it for that.

She had gone out, shopping, for the occassion. With her agent, because she had no one else, and picked out her lovely outfit. The dress swirled around her, as she stood. Picking up her white violin, she tucked it gently, underneath her arms.

Stepping down the small hallway that ran behind the built stage, she waited for Jack Conners to get done. Jack looked much nicer in his outfit today, than the suit he normally wore. She wondered. If he knew about her tonight. She doubted it. According to the woman who hired her, they were putting this all together quickly. She was the party planner. Thus, she doubted someone like Jack Conners would know.

When he left the stage, it was then, that Kimber emerged. The woman that had hired her, in a simple dress, came over to the microphone.

Good evening, tonight, we have a special treat for those here to celebrate the opening of the Meta-Human Crime unit. I would like to introduce, Kimber Grace, to the stage.

Kimber bowed to the audience. Her blonde hair was curled, into soft tight ringlets, there were crystalline beads strung through out it so it was shimmering as she walked underneath the lights to the area where she was to play. Standing there, she waited for a moment. Putting her violin up to her shoulder, she paused, taking a breath. And played.

It was winter. The cold makes the body shiver, as the snow brushes the ankles while you run. The holidays season was upon the world. Ornaments, and streamers hanging from the windows and the snow ridden street lights shimmered all around. The snow fell, a little dusting from the sky creating a world that was best seen on the television or in snow globes.

The children's laughter was soft and sweet, noses red and wet from the snowball fights and the beauty of the winter world they could not stay out of. Dragging sleds behind them towards the hill not far away.

Childhood innocent, sweet and carefree. A simpler time. No jobs, no worries, just fun, and love, and laughter.

Vince casually walked along the edge of the ballroom, carefully carrying his tray of champagne glasses, some full and some empty. The event was an annual affair, but tonight it was more than that; tonight it was a celebration for the new division of the Bastion PD, the Meta-human Crime Division. It was actually quite a good idea for the city itself. In a city of mainly pure humans, many citizens feared those that had been changed.

Vince had quickly found out that security was pretty thorough for this evening. It wasn’t a huge surprise considering most of the Bastion officials would be here tonight, as well as any visiting officials. The easiest thing to do to get into the ball would have been to get himself on the guest list, but that had proved impossible even for Vince’s considerably skilled handler. He had briefly considered entering by force; it would have the same desired result in the end, but he had quickly dismissed that idea. It was too sloppy. That left infiltrating the staff, which had proven to be easier than Vince would have believed. A couple of bribes and here he was, serving champagne, ignored by everyone around him who were his “betters.”

Within a few minutes, Vince’s tray held only empty glasses and he decided that he was already quite tired of carrying the tray. He casually made his way to one of the corners of the room where a jacket was hanging on a chair set at an unoccupied table. The waiters, including Vince, were all wearing plain black dress pants, white button down shirts, black ties, and a long white apron. Very crisp, very clean, and very generic. Vince made sure no one was paying attention as he quickly took off his apron and donned the jacket, the result of yet another small bribe. Just like that, Vince went from a waiter in uniform to a guest in full suit. He reached into the inner pocket of the jacket to check that what he’d placed there earlier was still there: a small switchblade. It wasn’t anything compared to his normal weaponry, but sometimes changes were necessary for a job.

Without waiting for anything else, Vince moved back towards the center of the room and began to mingle. He acted like he was supposed to be there, so people assumed that it was true. He danced a couple dances, and generally let himself have a good time for a little while. He kept an eye out for someone he could use in his disturbance. The room was full of people who would work perfectly for what he had in mind, but he kept looking for someone who could make it exciting as well. After a couple of minutes, he saw her: the Guardswoman from the slums outside of Kuniyah’s building from earlier in the year. She would be perfect. Vince felt a smile grow on his face.

It didn’t take long for the man of the hour to show up, the captain of the new MCD: Jack Conners. The music quieted and the dancing came to a halt as Conners took his place at the podium and gathered everyone’s attention. He gave a fairly standard, and thankfully short, speech thanking everyone involved in getting the new division up and running and so on and so forth. Vince politely clapped along with the rest of the crowd at the appropriate times.

As Conners finished his speech, Vince waited for the music to begin again. Before it did, though, a new performer was announced to the crowd. Kimber Grace. Vince gave a slight internal wince as she was announced. He hadn’t expected to run into her here. She was one of the last people he would have liked as witness to what he was up to tonight, though he wasn’t sure why. He guessed it was probably because she was such a sweet and innocent girl, and she believed Vince to be a nice guy.

Kimber began playing her violin, which Vince had heard once before at a concert shortly after they had first met. She really was something when she had that instrument in her hands. He excused himself from his current dance partner as the music started and made his way to an empty table where he picked up a napkin. Finding a waiter who had a pen on him didn’t take long. Vince jotted a quick note on the napkin before folding it up and making his way towards Kimber’s violin case, where he left said note on the case before walking back away again.

He found a spot against the wall, grabbing a glass of champagne on the way, where he could see everything that went on and stay out of the way while he waited. As he took in the sight of all the city officials in full dress, he couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit. “This is one mighty fine shindig.”



(OOC: The note to Kimber reads "When you are finished or take a break, please come find me. I would love a dance with you. -Vince")

Bree's eyes rested on vibrant crimson locks before falling on a pretty face. The woman too snatched herself a glass of champagne, and Bree nodded to her as she smiled. Slowly, she would make her way toward Sabre, catching sight of the ethereal beauty known as Neona Tiran, Librium's treasure with a voice that could sway the coldest of hearts. Bree smiled at her as she past by the elven woman, who seemed to capture the attention of Bastion's suitors, whether they were a part of police department or human civilians. She could hear her cheetah chuffing in her head. She disregarded some stares, some men noting the strong and silent woman in red.

Bree stopped by Sabre, wearing a warm smile. "How goes your evening?" The woman appeared slightly familiar to the guardswoman, but then again the Terran Guard had different departments. Not everyone was entitled to working on the field. An interesting scent radiated from Sabre, one that Bree couldn't quite touch upon, not without a moment to breathe in. She decided to let it go. "My name is Bree Donahue, are you a part of the guard as well?" She said. Sabre had been among the list of Librium civilians and Terran Guard members.

As they shared pleasantries, the man of the hour would finally make his appearance. Charming in his own way, Bree watched as Jack Conners made to the stage, bringing an end to lighthearted banter and fun. Waiters passed, taking away empty glasses. Bree was halfway toward the bottom. It'd take a lot more than one skinny glass to get the werecheetah inebriated. She watched the head of BPD step up to the podium, that slight smile showed discomfort. So this was the man? Bree thought. He looked very paternal, but Bree understood better than anyone to never judge a book by its cover.

Meta-human crime... She arched a brow at that. It would make sense for Bastion's PD to call for a Terran Guard advisor. They'd be dealing with crimes beyond what normal humans were capable of. She narrowed her eyes slightly, sizing him up as he spoke on, thanking Bastion and the Terran Guard, et cetera, et cetera. She clapped politely after downing the rest of her champagne and allowed her glass to be swept away. So many scents pervaded the air that it'd take some time to hone in on one. A lovely young lady was presented to perform. Bree thought she'd recognize her from the rift beast fiasco months ago. She clapped as Kimber was introduced,

She had a feeling that Neona might be more keen on speaking with Jack first, considering her duty as a diplomat, it was custom for her to make the first introduction. Bree would chime in later, but her work take precedence, whether or not she was wearing a dress and no matter how formal the occassion one. She turned her attention to Sabre, noting her cranberry colored eyes. "Nice dress. I should've chosen the one with another slit like yours. At least I'd be able to move more." She'd make do with some conversation first, while keeping Jack and Neona within eye sight. Once a guard, always a guard.

Neona busied herself with making small talk amongst the guests nearest her, she had a talent for being able to put herself into almost any conversation flawlessly. The small talk was just a facade however, she did it to mask what she was really doing. With her increased hearing, Neona could listen in on conversations around her while making it look like she was engaged in one of her own. This type of trickery had served her well in the past, especially when people let slip secrets in a very public room like complete fools. There was a reason no one knew that Neona Tiran, the half Elven diplomat, was a werewolf. Cause she never spoke about it, never indulged herself and kept it a secret.

She elegantly scooped a glass of champagne off a passing waiter, though she did a double take as she realized she knew the man. She was careful not to stare at Vince, lest he realize she'd recognized him. She'd met Vince when he'd been representing the Umbra corporation during the grand tour of Celestis, a trip that was everything she'd imagined and then some. Goldie made a mental note to keep an eye on that one. If Umbra was here and trying to hide amongst the civilians...the hair on the back of her neck stood on end and she could hear the wolf within growling a warning. Considering how much her wolf liked the man before, she paid attention.

As Captain Conners took the stage to give his opening speech, Neona clapped politely along with everyone else. At the mention of her, quite a number of people standing nearby turned to look at her and she gave Conners one of her famous smiles and inclined her head so as not to be rude. In truth, this police division would go a long way in making the humans more comfortable, and she was talking to him about forming a similar organization in Librium. Librium was the seat of the Terran Guards powers but they weren't policemen. Their focus had to remain on the treaty and keeping the peace, they needed the Librium police force as much as Terra needed the Guard.

The silver chains that hung in her hair brushed her face as she turned to answer a question posed by someone standing near her. She answered him warmly, and genuinely. Her words were cut off however as Kimber was announced. She'd heard a lot about Kimber Grace, but had never had the opportunity to actually hear the young girl's music. Closing her golden eyes, Neona allowed the music to flow into her, through her. Enjoying every note. As her hearing was so enhanced, she often heard things in music the humans didn't, and Kimber played magnificently even for her werewolf ears.

She spotted Captain Conners and weaved through the crowd towards him. Placing herself directly in his path she held out her hand to him, palm up. "Captain Conners, would you join me in a dance?" She asked him, and when he graciously accepted her offer, the two of them moved out to the floor.

Once the Captain had finished his speech, he found himself weaving through the crowd towards the refreshment table. He felt like he could relax now and that meant getting himself a drink. Jack had never been a drinker, but he did find champagne to be refreshing when he was coming off stress. Tonight was definitely one of those nights, at least, the majority of the stress was over. That meant he could finally get back to work, and not have to kiss bureaucratic ass...

"Captain Conners, would you join me in a dance?"

Neona Tiran stood in his path, holding her hand palm side up for him to take. It would be extremely rude to not accept, especially considering who she was, for some booze. Besides he had just talked about how fantastic she had been. Truth was, Neona had been fantastic and Jack was looking to hide away and maybe avoid all the social games that were apparently necessary to keep law enforcement going.

Ms. Tiran, I would love to accompany you on the dance floor. Jack smiled as he spoke and nodded softly in acceptance. He took her hand and they walked on to the dance floor, accompanied by many others who had partnered up to dance to the music.

It seemed that Kimber Grace, the mute woman who had witnessed some crime in Librium, was the one performing. Jack tried not to concentrate too much on her music since she had given him tickets for her concert next week. He did find the music, what he heard of it, to be enchanting to a degree above that of normal violin play. He seemed to snap out of his mild trance once Neona's hand touched his shoulder as they began to sway and spin to the music.

So, Neona, to what do I owe this dance? Do you just wish to dance with me when you have lines of potential partners, or do you wish to speak business?

Jack was always one to get straight to the point, even if in the long run he did miss things like the over-observant bodyguard in Bree or the devious movements of Vince. Tonight was a special night...nothing was going to go wrong!

Her music filled the hall.

Captivating, the way it always did.

This was how Kimber was known. Not only for her amazingly normal power of being able to truly play any instrument she picked up. Not to mention, being able to play it beautifully. But, another one of her true talents was making people feel what she played. Reaching into their hearts and souls. Pulling out old memories, sounds from their childhood, scents from growing up, small things like that, that really seemed to make the music that much more interactive.

Two songs after.

She was asked to take a break. Allowing people to mingle. She was not capable of playing just to play. All her music had meaning. All her music had purpose. Thus, the orchestra would take over for a few songs allowing those in the place to move on with their evening without getting too enthralled. She was not here for concert. But, for entertainment.

Stooping down in her pink dress to place her violin into it's case, she saw instead, a note. Picking it up with her gentle fingers, she opened it. Her eyes widened. Before, she could even really think about her actions she shot up. Blue eyes frantically scanning the crowd.

There. Against the wall. Almost invisible if she hadn't actually been looking for him.

She moved down the steps. With grace. She ignored those that tried to lure her into a conversation. Motioning 'just a moment' to all of them. Kindly. Afterall, she did not wish to be rude. But, her break was only so long, and a dance with Vincent would make this night a true Cinderella story for her. A story that she had always loved as a child. A prince and princess. A prince and a strange girl. This, would be at least a single dance in a night that she could remember forever.

Making her way through the crowd, she worked her way to the back. Trying to find him. Then, there he was. Right there. Against the wall. Where she had seen him from the stage. She stopped for a moment. Because, of him being there. In all her pink and crystalline glory, she stood there, staring at him for just a moment. A smile crossing her lips. She walked gracefully to him, a few inches taller than normal thanks to her heels. She held her hand out, to him, gently, hoping that dance, was still an option. She was truly eager for such a thing.

Vince kept to the side of the room as he listened to Kimber play, watching the guests watch her. He began picking out some of the faces he knew in the crowd. He knew some of the Bastion officials by sight, the big guys that everybody recognized. His eyes picked out Neona Tiran; no surprise to see her here. She was the only person in the room who knew of his affiliations with Umbra, having met him on a trip to the fallen city of Celestis. He did his best to keep out of her sight, but he was sure she had seen him when she took a glass of champagne off of his tray before he changed. With knowledge of Umbra’s style, not to mention she probably knew that Vince wasn’t on the guest list, she could easily put together that he wasn’t there for anything good. Especially if she noticed him now in a jacket instead of an apron.

He put the Terran Guard diplomat out of his mind. Whether she had an idea of what he was here for or not was irrelevant. She wouldn’t stop him. His eyes picked out the Guardswoman from the slums again. Vince wanted to stay out of her sight for as long as possible. She would probably have no trouble believing he was up to no good if she spotted him, given the circumstances of their previous meeting.

Not seeing anybody else in the room that could identify him in some way, Vince allowed himself to relax and simply enjoy Kimber’s second song. It started out as a slow, haunting melody that quickly crescendoed to a resounding climax that left Vince stunned over its complexity. As it ended, Vince noticed the rest of the crowd as enthralled as he had been.

Kimber lowered her violin and the other musicians began playing once again, quickly becoming background music as people began speaking and dancing again. He watched as she discovered his note and smiled at how quickly she stood up to look around the room for him. Within moments she was moving through the crowd towards him, all but ignoring everyone who tried to pull her into conversation or dance.

She paused as she emerged from the crowd near him, a smile appearing on her face. His grin widened as she stepped forward with her hand out. She looked amazing, all in pink, and he could see the faces of some of the men she had passed on her way to him. They seemed to be speechless that she had passed them by only to dance with Vince. He reminded himself that many of the people here believed themselves better than everyone else in the room, and the fact that they didn’t recognize Vince made him unimportant in their eyes. He could see the unspoken question in their eyes, ‘why would she pass up someone like me to dance with a nobody?’

Vince took her outstretched hand, knowing that as he did he would become as silent as she always was. He had learned her secret when they met up at the Librium summer’s end fair a few weeks earlier. He had quickly made it apparent that it didn’t bother him in the least, which had seemed to make her all that much more comfortable with him. He burned Bronze as he led her out to the dance floor, allowing him to speak with her telepathically. Unfortunately it was only a one way thing. He would have liked to be able to hear her speak, even if only telepathically.

<You look stunning tonight. And your pieces were amazing, especially that second one. Is it new?>

She surveyed Jack as he accepted Neona's invitation to dance. She stood comfortably beside Sabre, who revealed that she was from the Logistics department. She turned her glacial gaze to the attractive redhead, sensing something otherly about her, especially in how cranberry colored her eyes were. She had a few guesses on what Sabre might be, but rather not spend too much time wondering. Regardless of species, the Terran Guard operated on team work. She'd at least get better acquainted with Sabre, for any future reasons where they might end up working closely together.

She smirked in her feline way, "I'm with you on that, Sabre." she said about being a t-shirt and jeans "kind of girl." "And genius idea. I'll have to keep that in mind for next time." If next time would ever permit her to stick with her tight jeans and leather. She not only dressed for comfort, but for the convenience of hiding a considerable amount of weapons. She couldn't go anywhere without at least two things on persona, no matter how physically capable she already was.

"Well, you're already looking ar rowdy." She said about the ball. Classical music chimed, and the amazing sound of Kimber Grace made Bree pause for a moment. Amazing how music could do that. The blending of notes touched on her emotional reserve, something she kept locked tight since she didn't want to by vulnerable in any way. A thoughtful frown crossed her features as her mind opened to the melody. She watched the young blond woman play her violin, and was suddenly reminded of a time before the war, of when she was a little girl sitting on her father's lap.

She remembered pulling in his earthly scents, and leaning her head against his chest as his chest rumbled with laughter. He was talking to his wife, while polishing his sais. Setting one down, he'd take one of Bree's hand to wrap around the leather bound hilt of his most favored blade, and carefully movied it about to strike invisible enemies. "Someday, these will be yours... and they'll very much become a part of you." Of course that pleasant memory came crashing down when she thought about the fact that her sais were missing.

"Of course, you can't assume. Keep your eyes peeled, Sabre." She chuckled, "excuse my cliches." Even Bree could lighten up on occassion, but just as easily as the smile came, it went away, so she was neutral. Her spine stiffened, her frown darkening slightly when her attention drifted from the conversation and to the proceedings of the ball. She recognized Vincent in an instant as he swayed with the young blond musician. Golden rings appeared in her hues as the cheetah's fangs unsheathed within. The metaphysical beast didn't take the sight of Vincent too well, but considering her position, she wouldn't make her move.

This was a ball, and he didn't appear to be causing any trouble... yet. She watched Vincent and Kimber for a few moments, before tutting her lips and sliding her arctic gaze to Jack and Neona. She was more on alert than before, and when the pair past by during their turn on the dance floor, she would lift her hand in a small wave to the lovely elven woman. Then, she would make eye contact with Jack, and give him a nod, since she wouldn't interrupt their dance. She could talk about her Terran Guard liaison role later, for now, she would keep watch. She turned to Sabre then, "If I were male, I would ask you dance. Though, I'm not sure how they would take two women in nice dresses waltzing together." She could have a sense of humor when the mood struck. She might as well make the best of this evening.

Nikola followed the crowd into the venue for tonight's festivities. He couldn't believe how he had managed to snag a ticket to be a guest instead of working security. Frankly he would have rather been against the wall in uniform, but he had literally drawn the short straw. A group of the Metahuman Crimes Division officers had been squabbling for the overtime. Nikola didn't need it, but he really didn't want to explain to all the patrons how a cripple had become a cop in this day and age. The dispute had been settled the old fashioned way by everyone selecting cut up coffee straws in the break room.

Etiquette dictated Nikola leave his sunglasses at home, so he had spent some time before the bathroom mirror trying to apply cover up makeup without making it look like he was hiding a black eye. He didn't lay it on too thick so that people would still notice all the scar tissue. Nikola wasn't vain. He was just ashamed of the way everyone would stare and deny they were staring. At least his navy blue suit hid his artificial arm and leg. His right arm would still look bulbous in some places where tubes or cogs pressed up against the material. A black leather glove covered the metal hand, but his left was exposed.

Even though he was a part of the MHD, Nikola still had to pass through the metal detector. He tugged down on the glove to show the officer he'd break the thing if he went under it. The officer cleared him from the ID badge and gave a cursory pat down more for show than for anything else. The staff had already been made aware of the pseudo-golem. That didn't stop one of them from chuckling at the brass key Nikola lifted from his pocket. The R&D cop shop the chuckler an icy stare from the sapphire in his right eye. That shut him up. Some cops needed coffee to get them through the day. He needed to wind up his arm and leg.

With everything in order, Nikola was welcomed to the event and sent on through the checkpoint. He was still wearing an ear wig and overheard the update request from Captain Conners. The wig was a tiny thing, so he was glad no one would think he was a half blind, half deaf, double amputee. The sheer number of Looky Lou's was staggering. Nikola considered finding a glass champagne but changed his mind. He was already two-ninths of his body which ould delay alcohol metabolism. It wouldn't bode well for the department to have a cop drunk so early.

The crowded quieted as his boss was introduced. Captain Conners appeased them all by giving a very concise opening. "...Without any further ado, welcome to the Seventh Annual Bastion Policeman's Ball. Have a great night and enjoy!" Nikola clapped with everyone else, and then for Kimber Grace as she took to the stage.

Nikola watched her a little more intently than everyone else. The sapphire was not just a plug for where his right eye used to be. It had been the ocular device for a dwarven construct. Now connected to his brain, it showed Nikola where magic was being involved. Ms. Grace had a particular aura about her that he had never seen before. It was more of an absence of an aura. She wouldn't have been allowed to perform tonight if she posed some sort of security risk. So he just enjoyed the song.

And hoped no one asked him to dance.

As Jack accepted her invitation to dance, Neona's smile would brighten considerably. Her lithe Elven fingers curling around Jack's hand as he took hers. She allowed him to lead her to the dance floor, as was proper. The music would flow through her, filling her soul with it's perfect sound. Even the beast within her was soothed by the sound, and for once Neona felt absolutely and perfectly in control. It was a constant struggle not to give in, not to feel the wolf in everything she did. As they reached the floor, she turned to face Jack, careful to stand close but not close enough to be indecent. She placed her hand on his shoulder, turning her golden eyes up to his face as they started to dance to the music.

"This dance is my present to you for a job well done. And why on earth would I want to dance with any of them when I can dance with our fearless Captain? Also, I know how much you didn't want to answer a million questions, I could see it in your eyes and read it in your movements. My little way of saving you and saying thank you for everything you've done. This division is exactly what the Guard needs to keep the peace. Animosity between the humans and the Others have been rising, mostly out of fear. The Humans don't believe they can protect themselves if one of the Others decides to squash one of them like a bug. This gives them hope, this gives them peace."

As they spun, her body moved with all the grace of a dancer. Which of course she was, since the time she learned to walk, she'd studied dance. There had been a time where that had been her career goal, before one bright full moon changed all that. Everything had changed with that night, Neona's entire outlook on life had taken a sharp detour and right over the edge of the proverbial cliff. All she wanted now was peace, for everyone on Terra, but mostly for Terra herself. This was her life goal, and when Neona set her heart on something there wasn't a power in the 'verse that could keep her from it.

Not even fire engulfed temples could stand in her way.

The memory of Liam caused her to look away from Jack for a moment, but gave her the opportunity to see Bree and Sabre off to the side. She directed their dance closer to the women, catching their eyes and giving them a proud look followed by blowing a kiss in their direction. That was exactly what she was talking about. Everyone deserved the chance to be exactly who and what they were so long as they weren't harming anyone else in the process.

The seventh annual police ball was not the kind of event that one suspected to find someone like Daven Nevad to be attending. It was not he who would be showing his face tonight but rather Jason Opperman, a internal affairs officer for the Bastion police department. The demon had managed to pick up this flesh suit right after his blow out with Liam in the cathedral. He had been stationed outside when Daven's original vessel was killed and this was the replacement he had chosen to house himself in. He had gotten right to work using what knowledge he had to bust eleven different corrupt officers in his prescient and a few others to earn the praise of his superiors and get a strong foothold within the department. He had used his last body to make a connection with the criminal element of the city and with it came the cops who needed to be bribed and paid off to look the other way while he conducted business.

While he could have killed them it would have brought a little to much heat down upon him and so he had given in to there demands with the intent to handle that small issue later. His opportunity had been given to him when he took his body and using his new found power he brought them all down as a massive ring. What was even better was that he now had the means to operate behind enemy lines and sabotage the police from within while double dealing with the criminal element he had grown so fond of. He was a demon at heart and he loved the chaos and carnage that he was able to create while rocking the boat from within. If anyone within the squad was to nosy or to much of a goody goody he simply set them up to take a fall by having them framed by the same criminals he swore they were dealing with in exchange for a shorter sentence. The whole thing was just to perfect for words and he also had the free time to use the police database for his own ends.

The cops were great for gathering intelligence but once he had learned of the Terran Guard and how expansive there knowledge of the cities and its people were he aimed his sights beyond his current position. That was how ol' Jason had found his way to the ball tonight with the hopes of getting his name out there. Daven had even gone out of his way to pick up a brand new suit just for such an occasion. Donnica seemed to be a fan of the color purple and he had plans on getting lucky later. The hair upon his head was a carefully constructed mess that gave off the stylish bad boy image that the ladies seemed to go crazy over and since he was not going to be doing any killing at the party he may as well flirt a bit and enjoy himself some while trying to get his foot in the TG door. He had stayed out of the main party thus far by standing on the out skirts of the crowd and chatting with random people from work while circling the massive crowd and slowly spiraling his way in the direction of the center. He wanted to get a good look at everyone before he made any decisions on who to approach and what his play would be when he did.

Jack Conners had given his speech while Daven was mid way through his rounds and he had to admit that he was a large fan of the man's speech. It was not because of the meaning behind it but because he had kept it short,sweet,and direct. He applauded along with everyone else as he concluded it and decided right then that Jack Conners was going to be one of the view people he wouldn't toy with....to much. As he left the stage and made his way into the crowd the demon took note of the fact that he walked with an air of confidence and purpose that was rare among the races in this time and age. He was seasoned and intelligent within the confines of the force and Daven could only assume the same could be said for most aspects outside of it. That was all made clear by the short speech in which he got the desired reaction without boring everyone and the fact that he was pulling duty as security most easily spotted because of the distinct ear piece he wore.

The faces in the crowd drew no interest from the demon as he made his rounds and he was thinking that Jack would be the man to see about the TG. He had mentioned a woman named Neona but he had yet to actually see her as he was more focused on an oddity within the crowd that seemed a bit weird. One of the waiters who he had been walking around handing out champagne was now standing among the crowd in a dress jacket and seemed to be enjoying himself. Daven had been watching and taking note of everyone in the room as he walked about and it was the only reason he has picked up on the change of dress. He smirked as every fiber of his being told him that this man was a predator out with a purpose this evening and instantly he had some hope for entertainment other then the music that was offered. The music was the only thing within the ball that Daven found truly unbearable with only one exception.

The woman they had introduced,Kimber Grace, was a phenomenal musician and since he considered himself a bit of an artist he had to admit that she was hands down one of the best he had ever had the pleasure of listening to. When her pieces were over with it went back to the mediocrity of music that had been playing before her brilliant performance. She weaved through the crowd and made her way directly to the wolf in sheep's clothing with an enthusiastic pep in her step. Jack was also on the dance floor now and he was dancing with a woman that seemed rather familiar to the demonic cop but he was unable to place his finger on it at that exact moment. What he did notice however was a face he had not seen in ages as Saber made her way to the dance floor with another beautiful woman who seemed to have been taken by surprise at the invitation.

He snapped his eyes back to the woman who was dancing with Jack Conners and as he took in her face once more his lips curled up into a grin. The scene played over and over in his mind as he licked his lips and shook his head in disbelief at the stroke of luck. She was the woman who had shown up at the church and pulled Liam from the fire after the fight they had. She had some kind of connection with his puppet and here she was right before his eyes dancing the night away and enjoying herself. Another nifty little tidbit that came with the taking of a body was that you had access to the memories they had stored away and the most recent one within the mind of Jason Opperman when Daven had taken a hold of him was that woman pulling her Terran Guard badge on him and asking if Liam had been found yet.

It seemed his destiny was to be at this ball tonight because within it he had found the one woman who could serve him in so many different ways that his head would have spun were it possible at that moment. He needed to take his time and play it safe for the moment because walking out to the middle of the floor and asking to cut in on Jack and her would have most likely gotten him shot down and looked at as a bit of a creep. He would need to bring attention to himself and wait for the dance to finish before he could approach her and so he scanned the crowd around the dance floor. A pretty little brunette caught his eye and she seemed to catch the look and bite her lower lip in return with a smile. Daven motioned to the dance floor and the two of them joined the group within a few moments. He took the lead and she followed but the difference in experience was obvious as she seemed to have a bit of trouble keeping up. He did not slow down as they moved in circles about the floor and he kept his eyes upon his target.

As Jack spun slowly with Neona, she expressed with him the true reasons for asking him to dance. At least, she made various explanations within flatteries and good words about Jack and his program. He had to admit, she knew how to butter someone up and make them feel accomplished and important. She must be a fantastic diplomat. The simple fact of the matter was that Jack was appreciative of what Neona had done for him as well as his Division.

They swirled on the dance floor, and Jack did his best to keep up. She was significantly better than he was, but she didn't flaunt it or make him seem terrible by comparison. Well, I certainly appreciate the thought. You can probably tell from my speech I am not the wordy type. I prefer to see myself as a police officer, not a bureaucrat.

As they made good use of the floor space Jack noted that a lot of people had taken to the floor from various lifestyles. It simply made him smile. It was nice to see people living their lives like they should be living them: happy, careless, and unafraid. While he observed the dancers, Jack also made note of those who were not dancing at the time or who had been watching the swaying couples. Taking notes in his head, Jack noticed an IA officer amongst the crowd. He couldn't remember his name...Odden? Obleman? something like that. Either way, he was IA...and therefore a prick. A prick with balls nonetheless, most of the time IA officers got eaten alive at these things, being completely not welcome and all.

After a couple songs and a couple nice dances and chats with Neona, they gave one another a long list of nice things to say and parted their ways. eona went off to do whatever social aspect of her job she chose...being magnificent at it the entire time, no doubt. Meanwhile, Jack walked over to a refreshment table and tossed a couple green grapes in his mouth and began to look over the event. It was turning out to be quite the nice evening.

Kimber was estatic.

Here she was, working, and Prince Charming had litterally come to her. Not only that, but he had heard her music, again. She was now in the arms of a man that she was growing to like a great deal and she could only hope that they would be able to get to know each other even better. He was one of the few that could easily communicate with her. Being able to speak into her mind, helped a great deal, though it was always yes and no questions because she was incapable of speaking.

She nodded her answer to his question. The piece she had played was new, and she was thankful that he realized that. She couldn't help but love the way that she felt in his arms moving over the dance floor as if she belonged there.

The song ended, and with it, the dance. He seemed to have a place he needed to be and she needed to get back to the stage anyway because she might have to play again. So she kissed Vincent on the cheek softly and she moved off to a table that was close to the stage. The group of musicians they had playing now were good but if they needed more classical they would be asking her to return to the stage.

While she waited though, she leaned against the wall. Feeling ever so much the role of the wall flower, but it didn't matter. She was not here to enjoy herself. The fact that she had spent time with Vincent, was enough to turn the night from work to pleasure. It was time to get her head back into the game and be prepared for when she might be called to make another appearance.

Per Vince's request, please skip him for the rest of the thread.


Next poster up is Bree Donahue. If you have any questions, please contact me directly or through Jack Conners.

-Alabaster

To say that Bree was surprised was an understatement. She was also quite impressed with Sabre's boldness, and as soon as contact was made with the twining of their fingers, Bree went along for what would become an absolute joyride. The idea had been there, but more of a passing thought to stir up conversation. She didn't actually believe that they were going to dance... but it was happening, and the werecheetah didn't seem to mind. Smoothing out her bemused expression, Bree decided that relaxing was the better alternative. Just got along with it, it's a party after all... she mentally chided herself.

As they wove through the crowd, no doubt earning peculiar and amused looks, Bree sound found herself situated in a spot near the chief himself. For the first time, Bree was at a loss for words. Her sarcastic personality had withdrawn to some semblance of shyness that she was not used to. Bree's nearly frantic blue gaze went from Neona, to Jack and then rested finally on Sabre. It was odd that as soon as she met eyes with Sabre's crimson stare, Bree relaxed once again. They got into their appropriate stances, and it didn't matter who was playing the role of who.

Revolution? Bree looked away from Sabre's mezmerizing stare, to the male couple that would soon join them. A smile finally tipped the corner of her lips in a smirk. Chuckling softly, the werecheetach returned her icy gaze to the crimson-eyed enchantress. "Would you look at that." she remarked. They went through a brief turn, but eventually met up with Neona and Jack again. Bree looked even more relaxed, and actually laughed at Sabre's next words.

"Tell me about it... and this did the trick. I should thank you." she said. Her feline grace showed as she grew more bold, gradually taking the lead. She would lift Sabre's arm, and give the succubus a spin. The musical lilt of Neona's voice could be heard by Bree's sensitive ears. The music added to the mythical quality of her ward's cadence, and she turned to smile at the elven beauty. She shrugged with a broader grin, and nodded to Jack politely. They would have a few turns, Bree now thoroughly enjoying herself.

"I think I could get used to this formal.. thing." she said with a slightly odd look before chuckling. The music would change to a more upbeat melody. "If you pardon me, Sabre." she said and playfully kissed the woman along her knuckles. She looked to Neona and dipped her head, "Miss Tiran." It wouldn't be long until Bree was at the refreshment table, now standing beside Jack. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you up close, Mr. Conners." Bree would finally say, "Bree Donahue. I'm with the Terran Guard." she paused to grab a flute of champagne.